Herdsmen/farmers clash: Kwara subjects herdsmen to registration

CHAIRMAN, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) in Baruten local government area of Kwara State, Alhaji Musa Gobir, has said that herdsmen migrating to the council area will henceforth be subjected to registration before they can be allowed to settle in any of the communities in the area.

Speaking with journalists on forthcoming 15th Gure Day celebration in Gure at the weekend, the council boss, however said that the council was not “against any Nigerian willing to settle in the area regardless of ethic affiliation as long as they are ready to live peacefully with one another”, maintaining that such person must have traceable identity.

Baruten local government is an agrarian community that shares boundaries with Republic of Benin and had in recent time witnessed clashes between herdsmen and farmers, which had left some persons dead.

Alhaji Gobir, who said the council would convey a security meeting to resolve persistent herdsmen/farmers clash this week, added that the meeting would be attended by the leaders of the Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the state where issues relating to the recent clash with farmers would be resolved amicably.

“Fulani know themselves even if you commit a crime here and run to Sokoto, they know themselves,” the council boss said.

Gobir said the people of the community “have lived peacefully with herdsmen for over 30 years, some of their children now speak our language,” saying that the measure became necessary in view of the incessant clash with farmers.

“The problem is not with the owners of the cows but the herdsmen who were entrusted with the care of the cows,” he said.